Album: Silent Alarm.
Year: 2005.
When Silent Alarm came out a decade ago, it felt like a blast of fresh air. While completely identifiable as guitar-oriented indie rock, it somehow came across as indie rock by people who listened to everything else but. Like The Arcade Fire’s Funeral, it seemed to point the way towards whatever the future held.
While there were lots of great songs on Silent Alarm, the one that has always totally floored me was “So Here We Are.” A duet for jangly guitars that wouldn’t sound out of place on The Church’s Seance album, “So Here We Are” rides Matt Tong’s overly busy drums as the guitars – with every note exactly in place – switch up and then back again.
In the end, when Kele Okereke finally stops mumuring and exclaims “I’ve figured it out!” you’re really not sure what he’s figured out, but you’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Which is probably all he’s really asking for.
“So Here We Are” performed live at Glastonbury, 2007
My Certain Songs Spotify Playlist: